Washington, 11 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - US President Joe Biden has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit the White House on Tuesday, as efforts from Republicans to stall military aid to Ukraine gather pace.

Announcing the visit on Sunday, the White House said Biden wanted to underline the US's unwavering commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people in their defence against the Russia invasion.

Biden and Zelensky are set to discuss Ukraine's urgent needs on the battlefield and also discuss ongoing US aid at this crucial stage.

According to the government in Washington, the funds previously approved by parliament for Ukraine will be completely used up by the end of the year.

However, the release of new US aid is currently being blocked in a domestic political dispute between Democrats and Republicans. More and more Republicans have been expressing doubts about support for Ukraine.

A recently passed stopgap budget once again contained no new funds for Ukraine, although Biden had already requested large sums of billions for Kiev from Congress in October.

With increasing vehemence and sometimes dramatic appeals, Biden and his team have been calling on Congress to act for weeks. So far, however, there is no movement in sight.

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